Two Alaska students are in Washington, D.C., this week for the Scripps National Spelling Bee, joining 247 competitors from across the country as preliminary rounds got underway Tuesday. Aidan Cole, 14, of Kenai, and Andie Seavey, 13, of Fairbanks, are among students ages 9 to 15 trying to advance through the national competition.
Cole, an eighth-grader at Kenai Middle School, earned his place by winning the Alaska State Spelling Bee in March after correctly spelling thrasonical. He said this is his first year making it to the national competition. Seavey is a seventh-grader at Boreal Sun Charter School in Fairbanks.
The national field is broad. Of the 247 contestants, 181 attend public schools, 30 attend private schools, 18 attend charter schools, nine are from homeschool programs and nine attend parochial schools. Advancing competitors will move into the quarterfinals Wednesday, with the semifinals set to begin at 4 a.m. AKDT.
The prize is substantial for the students who keep spelling. The national champion will receive a $50,000 cash prize and commemorative medal, with second place getting $25,000 and third place $15,000. According to the National Spelling Bee website, the winner will receive more than $50,000 in cash and awards.
Cole said his preparation included using the Wordbee app, which covers the words for levels one and two, and studying from two books his language arts teacher gave him. He also watched last year’s quarterfinals and semifinals to get a feel for the words. After winning the Alaska title in March, he said it was “very thrilling” and that he was not expecting to keep going, especially since his opponent had gone to Nationals last year.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee brings together students from public, private, charter, homeschool and parochial programs in one of the few academic contests that can still turn a correctly spelled word into a national stage. The final round will be televised live from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday on ION channel, giving the Alaska pair a shot at a finish that would send one of them home with the title and the money that comes with it.
